Extended Family
by TheTribeanal
Summary: Alfonse pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. "I shouldn't have to explain why referring to Takumi as a 'good, strong boy who did nothing wrong' in front of the council is a bad idea, Kiran."/The story where Kiran's quest is to become everyone's mom friend, with Alfonse to rein them in. Rated T for language and a smidge of blood.
1. Enlightenment

Kiran hummed a disorganized yet melodic tune as they strolled towards the mess hall. Realizing that they didn't really have a reason to show up, they shrugged and continued on their way, proudly gazing at Ayra and Navarre exchange fast, stinging blows on the training grounds.

They felt...big. Time and time again, the Askr trio would tell them that they're integral to the war against Embla, that they're such a great tactician and an even greater friend, and that they should be proud of what they've built in only nine months. Honestly, it felt a bit surreal, to think back on their old life preparing for a future of pushing papers to their present situation, a summoner spoken of in legend that would bring with them a tide of heroes that could win any battle.

A fuzzy feeling emerged in their chest as they thought of their heroes. _Their_ heroes. It sounded a bit creepy when they rolled it around the tongue like that, but in some way it was true. It was their responsibility to train, nurture and live alongside about these famous heroes, and there was a certain connection between them that Kiran just couldn't understand.

With their own two hands and a fistful of orbs they brought a living, breathing person into this world and that was beautiful. They were beautiful.

Whenever a hero was in the room and lounging around, they felt at ease as well. Whenever a squad was out particularly late in the Training Tower, they got inconsolably nervous, pushing their frail body to scramble to the entrance to see them come out, battered but alive. Whenever Kiran would find a hero at their lowest point, where their tears wouldn't stop as dark thoughts and memories bubbled up to the surface, they'd drop everything to comfort them and think 'I'm here, it's alright because I am _here'_ , as if their thoughts would reach them.

And whenever they had to resummon a hero who had fallen in battle, they grasped tightly onto them, muttering apology after apology after seeing the haunted look in their eyes.

Shaking their head, Kiran refocused right in time as they nearly collided with the entrance of the mess hall. As it was in the middle of the evening, the inside was predictably packed, over one hundred heroes looking to fit dinner in before they turned in for the night. Spotting a familiar head of green hair, they slipped behind their little manakete (shushing a giggling Caeda in the process) and poked her cheek.

"WAH!" Tiki jolted, turning around to see her assailant. Seeing their goofy grin, Tiki pouted. "Kiran, you keep scaring me like that! Mar-Mar, this is bullying, right?"

Marth chuckled and shook his head. "It's all in good fun, Tiki, you know that Kiran takes great joy in seeing us all together like this."

"Yeah, I know," Tiki mumbled, before suddenly flinging herself at the summoner, who began to try and desperately balance and adjust their grip on her. "That's why they're the best!"

Nuzzling her head into Kiran's neck, the fuzzy feeling surged inside Kiran once again. A strong feeling to protect, protect this girl, protect them all, make them happy. They squeezed back, basing their next action off purely what their heart told them to do.

"Oh? What about me, Tiki?" Marth playfully whined.

"Ah! U-Um, I'm not saying that Mar-Mar isn't less 'best', but-"

Minding the tiara, Kiran angled their head to the left to place a kiss on top of Tiki's head, gently bumping their forehead against hers for added measure. The ensuing silence was broken by a passing Lissa, who gasped and let out a noise that could be best described as 'squee' at the action.

"That was _adorable_ , Kiran!"

Kiran didn't really know how to respond to her wide smirk. Was it really that noteworthy to show your affection like that? They looked down, but Tiki refused to meet their gaze by squirming out of their grip, running back over to her seat and desperately trying to cover her bright red ears from a laughing Marth. Grabbing their hand, Lissa pulled Kiran along and towards what she dubbed 'the Table of Awakening'.

"I just felt like it, Lissa."

"But compared to all the other times, this was like...like you were her mama or something!"

...

Mama?

"...Is that so."

Pulling a deadpan expression, Lissa nodded. "Yes, it _is_ so, you fantastic conversationalist. Gods, you're like a big emotional rock except for the times you're doting on us."

Kiran blinked. "It's not doting. Its just my responsibility."

Lissa rolled her eyes, keeping a tight grip on her summoner's hand. "You can't tell me that cuddling dragon-shaped little girls and squealing over kittens with that nerd Alm was apart of the job description, Kiran. Just own it."

Own it, huh?

"So what do I do now?"

Shrugging, the cleric took a seat beside her brother, who gave Kiran a bright smile as they took a seat on the opposite side of the table. "Dunno. Just keep doing what you're doing, I guess. Trust me though, you're never gonna see this the same way again."

"...Well. What do you mean?"

A mischievous grin broke out on Lissa's face, but she refused to elaborate for the rest of the evening. Dinner went as it usually did, with Chrom managing to break his fork, a piece of the table and Narcian's nose.

* * *

Kiran supposed that a conversation with Lissa was necessary, because everything just sort of snowballed after that.

It all started when they woke up a bit earlier than normal and headed down for breakfast, running into a particularly disheveled-looking Alm. Not even wearing his armor, the leader of the Deliverance opted for a Askr-emblazoned t-shirt and shorts. His green hair, usually messily swept to the side with some form of fashion, lay all over the place as if a tornado had blown through. Understandable, Kiran thought, he had run him through the wringer yesterday during the Tempest Trials.

"G'murnin', Kiran..." he yawned, rubbing his eyes in a manner that had them question if he was taking lessons from the manaketes. Grunting, Kiran stepped closer and into Alm's personal space and firmly planted both of their hands into that messy jungle of green hair. They didn't have any comb or brush due to their own low-maintenance hair, so this would have to do.

"What are you...?" Alm was cut off by his summoner massaging his scalp, physically arranging his hair to resemble how it normally was. Feeling a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body, he opted to close his eyes and let all trains of thought stop as Kiran did their work, slowing down at any tangles to make sure they didn't tug and hurt him. After making sure everything was satisfactory, Kiran stepped back and lightly shook a dozing Alm.

"Sorry for taking your time, couldn't let my Hero of Prophecy go out there with that bed-head."

"Mmhm..."

"Do you have a comb?"

"...gave it to Faye..."

Kiran let out an amused huff. "Let's head to the market later and get another one. My treat."

"Thanks, dad..."

Stiffening, the summoner froze as Alm turned around and stumbled back to his path to the mess hall. There it was again, like that time with Tiki. That feeling where, even if this was all temporary, even if this all had to end one day with everyone going home after the war ends...doing all of this, making friends with all of them was just worth it.

 _"...Like you were her mama or something!"_

Was it really 'friends', though? What if Alm wasn't the only one who saw them like that? Somehow, the thought sent a pleasant surge of energy throughout Kiran.

 _Just own it._

Kiran began to walk towards the mess hall once again, unconscious of the grin spread across their face.

* * *

 **A/N:** I can't be the only nerd out there who feels proud of their units and gets kinda genuinely upset when one of them drops due to some brave weapon shenanigans or poorly-planned out attack. Seriously, FE:H? You gotta reveal to me that the heroes who fall in battle _**straight-up die a painful death**_ and I have to personally re-summon and look them in the eye again?

Man, I know its really obvious in hindsight, but I'm an imaginative kind of guy so it really sucks to imagine what weapons like Blárblade or dragon breath would do to someone. So here's a fic that's basically a big ol' softie Kiran spoiling their heroes.

I'd love to hear what you guys think about this, so remember to leave a review if you can. This is going to be a two-shot, and the next chapter is going to feature a dual perspective (woah).


	2. Family Unit

At first, it was rather innocent. As innocent as a mysterious person like Kiran could be, anyway. A headpat and a 'that's my girl' to Tiki, maybe a fireside chat with Grima that surprisingly went well, occasionally a duel with their 'archrival' Mia (who would never admit to going easy on her frailer, untrained foe).

It was cute, and Alfonse was more than happy to let the summoner be a living morale boost to their ever-growing army of heroes. Kiran also became a much more open and friendlier person as a result of their continued exposure, and that just made the cherry on top even sweeter. But this was before he knew how deep Kiran was in, how unmistakably _bad_ the situation had gotten.

The prince pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh, leaning into the sofa as much as his dignified posture could allow. "I shouldn't have to explain why referring to Prince Takumi as a 'good, strong boy who did nothing wrong' in front of the royal council is a bad idea, Kiran."

"And I would like to remind you that this is the same council that told me to send him home due to 'unsatisfactory results in comparison to other soldiers of the same class'," Kiran quietly responded, nestling their hand deep in a sleeping Myrrh's hair and scratching her scalp. The little dragon let out a rumbling purr in response (Alfonse wasn't even aware they could _do that_ ) and melted into their touch, pressing her cheek into their shoulder.

"Therefore, the council is full of liars and charlatans and I would like to request for their immediate resignation."

"Kiran, no."

"Kiran, yes."

Letting out a weary sigh, Alfonse shook his head before continuing on. "Kiran, I mean this in the kindest of ways, but I think your affection towards the Heroes is...a bit unhealthy."

The summoner blinked, which Alfonse decided was a better reaction than offense. "I don't understand what you mean."

"I've gotten many reports that you're incredibly touchy. Do not fret, none of them are improper, but I have been told that you rather frequently pat Heroes on the head for a job well done. On request, you have also apparently lightly kissed them on the forehead."

"It's just a little show of affection. Skinship."

The prince raised an unamused eyebrow. "I've held a poll and eighty percent of the Heroes currently under our employ see you as a distant family member. When further questioned on the matter, I've had an equal number of responses stating that you are a satisfactory mother slash father."

Kiran quickly snuffed out a smile. "Okay. I don't really get the issue here, though."

" _Eighty_ _percent._ "

"This is entrapment and it is illegal, Alfonse."

Askrian nobility of old, help him.

"Kiran..." Alfonse pinched the bridge of his nose, choosing his words wisely. "I am only trying to help you. They will leave to return home, and you will as well. I just...I don't want to see you get hurt."

He couldn't see their eyes, but Alfonse swore he saw them soften beneath that white hood. "I understand, and I know it will. But I'll do it anyway, because these moments are precious to me."

Kiran squeezed Myrrh closer to their chest. "Tailtiu, who suffered and died to protect her daughter from her own family, accidentally called me 'father' yesterday. Clarisse, for all her threats to put me to sleep with an arrow or kill anyone I ask, tries not to cry when I pat her on the head and loves it when I brush her hair. Legion gives me rocks he picks up off the castle grounds because he thinks they're 'smoothses like meses'". They looked at the prince. "Open up to them. You'll see what I mean."

"I cannot."

"Because you got hurt before, right? Once by a hero before I came, then...Zacharias."

"I..."

Wrapping an arm around the snoring dragon to keep her still, Kiran moved their free arm around Alfonse's shoulder, pulling the prince close and letting him lean his head on their shoulder. "I'm sorry, this is all still a bit...new, but you can rely on me too. I promise, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon, so please just play along with me for now?"

He closed his eyes.

"Alfonse?"

Alfonse sighed, but gently, hesitantly, nodded his head. Kiran could barely restrain themselves from smiling.

"We'll look at where to start tomorrow, alright? I promise, I'll be with you every step of the way."

The prince smiled, and would have responded had Myrrh's wing not stretched out and smacked him clean across the face. To Kiran's credit, they put in an immense amount of effort not to laugh at him.

* * *

"Ahh, another Tap Battle...? We've been getting a lot of those, haven't we?"

The air of the common room was pleasant yet weary as Kiran placed down a tray of sandwiches and tea for the lounging heroes consisting of female Grima, Ayra, new recruit Reinhardt, and Genny. The concept of attacking in rhythm to a song only the Summoner could hear was surprisingly tense, especially for a mission that Anna could only explain by shrugging and promising rewards such as orbs and feathers.

"It is inane and pointless, and I am loathe to admit that I do not understand why you dragged me, the Fell Dragon, to play in your stupid game," Grima muttered, leering at Kiran as she grabbed a sandwich from the platter and took a large bite.

"Well, judging on how you laughed at how hard they flew away, you had some fun."

Face turning a light pink, Grima's red eyes snapped up at the Summoner. "Now you _listen here, worm-_ "

Grabbing a napkin from the table, Kiran almost lunged into the fell dragon's personal space, pushed their hand to her mouth and started rubbing. "Don't talk with your mouth full, you're getting crumbs everywhere."

Squirming her head away, Grima literally hissed at the Summoner's coddling and moved a hand to push theirs away. Blinking, they moved back and turned towards Alfonse, sitting across the table in the thick of a book.

As if by psychic link, Alfonse dog-eared the page he was on and closed the novel he was reading with a pleasant sigh, walking over to Kiran. "Do you need me for something, Kiran?"

"I don't think I'm good at wiping mouths, Alfonse."

Reinhardt's brows furrowed. "Summoner, I do not think that's the-" he began, before being interrupted by a small hand squeezing his shoulder. Looking to his left, he saw Genny shake her head with a neutral, almost bored expression.

After giving Kiran a lookover, Alfonse nodded once and gently grabbed the napkin. "The most comfortable way is to gently wipe away from the mouth," he muttered, moving over to the fell dragon and wiping one side in short, repeated movements. Grima, who was at this point stunned beyond movement, let it happen. "See?"

"Ah, I see!" Kiran exclaimed, slapping their fist into their palm as they grabbed the napkin and wiped the other side. Ayra snorted and went for her tea, while Reinhardt alternated his bewildered looks between Kiran and Alfonse.

Grima, finally having enough of the soul-crushing feeling of awkwardness that came with being babied by a blue-haired Lord and her androgynous Summoner, pushed them off and stomped up, face as red as her eyes.

" **I am known as the Scion of the End, you _detestable whelps._ While you were in the crib crying about how you soiled yourselves I was out and about devouring the souls of my foes _, sampling their fear as if it was the most delectable of sauces._ You DARE treat to a GODDESS such as I like a child? Who...do you think you are?!**"

Kiran reached up and plucked a bit of green off her mouth, flicking it away.

"I'm sorry, you had a bit of lettuce there and it was bothering me. Please continue."

Grima threw her hands up. **"WHA-"**

* * *

 **A/N:** I have no proper excuse as to why this was so late, but it's out now!

I'm well aware that Grima is referred to in male context literally everywhere, but I feel as though sitting in F!Robin's body for so long would eventually merge the two's sense of being, if that makes any sense at all. While it would be a spoiler to divulge Grima's backstory for those who haven't played through the **entirety** of Echoes, I think the concept of gender wouldn't really matter to the fell dragon in any case.

Now onto what I have planned for the story. I have been thinking up ideas about disconnected (or at least a passing connection) one-shots I want to go along with that are basically "Kiran and Alfonse spoil X, with X being a hero". Honestly, there were a surprising amount of people who were supportive of the story despite it originally being a two shot that makes me want to continue it, but we'll see.

As you can tell, my schedule is not one that is forgiving on time. It could come within the week or beyond, depending on what my life allows. Regardless, I'd love to hear about how you guys felt about this chapter. I've been writing it in small increments, whatever possessed the me in the past to make this one with more humor in it is a weird guy.

 **EDIT 8/19:** Kind of embarrassing this late, but I deleted a repeated word in Grima's flip-out speech. Sorry if that slightly irked anyone else.


	3. In the Dark

She just didn't get it. Why were they so unfailingly _nice_ to her?

They knew what she did, she was called 'Sniper in the Dark' for Naga's sake. They knew since the day she was born, she was eating out of the palm of Eremiya's hand for honeyed words and hollow gestures. They knew how she treated Reese and Legion, who were also drafted into Askr's army, with scorn and contempt. They knew of the run-in she had with that goody-two-shoes Marth, and most importantly of all?

They knew she died like a dog in the dirt, tossed away by her caretaker like trash and cradled by her "sister" as she bled out. If they didn't want anything to do with her, it would be perfectly understandable. They didn't need an archer, they had that Sacaean girl on the horse, the blonde prince, and most recently that pineapple brat on the giant bird. They didn't need a bodyguard, those ninjas blended into the shadows and struck with enough merciless efficiency to impress even her. She wasn't even good at conversation like the rest of the heroes; the amount of times she's threatened to murder them need to be-

"Clarisse? Sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but we need to keep moving. Fae ran off into another aisle and Lyon is too tired to keep chasing after her."

She grunted, thrusting her darker thoughts to the back of her mind for the time being.

Right, she decided to join them (her? him? That blasted hood of theirs _somehow_ managed to hide any notable features) and a couple other heroes on a trip to the farmer's market. Of course, bringing a bunch of quirky heroes and leaving them alone is never a good idea, as demonstrated by the fact that Fae immediately got distracted and started bug hunting after a lucky run-in with some winged tank of a beetle.

Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Clarisse squinted into the masses of middle-aged women and screaming children to look for...another screaming child. "You'd think the brat would stick to you like all those dragons do."

"Honestly," Kiran began. "I should've probably held onto her hand from the start. Like I'm doing with you."

The sniper blinked, looking down at her towards her right hand to find that yes, it was indeed intertwined with the summoner's. For good measure, they gave her a warm squeeze and an encouraging thumbs-up, which only encouraged the heat to spread across her face like a wildfire.

"Y-You...look, I'll allow it for now, but only because I need to p-protect you from anyone aiming at your back, alright?!"

Handing a wheezing Lyon a stamina potion, Kiran gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Clarisse."

She tried to quash the sickeningly warm feeling in her stomach. She would never be a Hero, shiny and ready to wax poetic about the value of friendship and justice. She was just a miserable assassin with a new coat of paint. All of this is temporary, and who knew when she would have to go back to Archanea and face her demise for good?

 _Don't get attached._

"Hey, Clarisse. When your eyebrows scrunch together like that...yeah, like that...you're worried about something. Want to tell me?"

Clarisse looked away. She couldn't meet their gaze, as mysteriously hidden as it was. "...No."

"Okay," they shrugged. "I'm always around, so feel free to tell me whenever you feel like it. You know I care, right?"

Her grip on their hand tightened just a bit.

 _Don't get attached._

* * *

"And then me and Ly-Ly caught a really big ol' buggy, Kiran! I'm naming him Mam!"

Fae happily kicked her feet out from in-between Lyon's armpits as she wrapped up a tale of bug hunting with Grado's former king, having graciously accepted an offer for a piggyback ride. Inside her satchel lay a massive rhinoceros beetle, apparently content with being the Divine Dragon's pet.

"Why Mam?"

"'Cuz it sounds cool!"

Letting out a pleased hum, Kiran lazily stretched as they felt the sun warming their back. With the sunset painting the Askrian sky a brilliant orange, they were perfectly content to drink in the sights and continue their way back to the castle.

The same could not be said by Clarisse, who trudged alongside her summoner while staring forward, her thoughts a blur. Now that the action had momentarily died down, she could finally entertain all the thoughts and questions that had accumulated during her day out.

And yet, no matter what answers she dredged up, none could compare to answers from Kiran's own mouth. She had to know. She had to know what they thought of her.

Why they kept giving her so much of their time.

 _Don't._

Why they pat her head after a good couple of runs in the Training Tower.

 _Stop it._

Why they bundled her up in a smothering cocoon of blankets after a bad run-in with a Glacies-infused spell, her body numb for hours.

 ** _Don't get attached._**

Why they cared so much about someone who wanted to be _alone_.

"We need to talk," Clarisse muttered, looking up at Kiran with an unreadable expression.

Noting the gravity of her tone, Kiran nodded and turned their head to Lyon. "Sorry, I'll be back a little later. If it isn't too much trouble, can you tell Alfonse so he doesn't get too worried?"

Lyon gave them a warm smile. "Of course, friend. We'll be going on ahead, take however much time you need."

"See ya soon, Kiran! Don't be too late, okay? Scary monsters are out at night!"

Kiran chuckled, ruffling Fae's hair. "Clarisse is with me, pumpkin, they won't get me today."

Sending the pair off with a wave, Kiran turned back to Clarisse. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

* * *

A little alcove, hidden away by thick foliage off the beaten path. Gazing out towards a small lake dyed orange, Clarisse would have enjoyed the view if her mind wasn't a mess at the moment.

Kiran sat down beside her, having taken off their boots to put their feet in the water. They were about to break the ice when Clarisse spoke first.

"Why?"

Kiran blinked, wracking their mind for answers. "I...need more context."

Letting out an irritated huff, the sniper looked at Kiran directly.

"Why are you so nice to me?!" she snarled, doing her best to fix them with a glare. "I don't get it! You know what I've done!"

Kiran nodded.

"So why do you keep me around? Are you an idiot? A masochist? Why in the name of the Fire Emblem would you _ever_ associate with an assassin?!"

Kiran leaned back, surprised at the sudden emotional outburst. Their answer, nonetheless, came out quickly.

"Because I wanted to," they said, raising a brow at Clarisse's utterly dumbfounded expression. They became worried as it quickly settled on a mixture of confusion, hurt, and anger.

"You wanted to _?_ Fine, that's such a 'you' thing to say anyway so I won't bother, but let me set one thing straight," she sneered, but Kiran saw her eyes clouded with indecisiveness. "This _kindness_ is getting old. And it'd be fantastic if you could just drop the act already. I'm scum, and I always will be. Being by my side will only lead you to your death."

 _Don't get attached._

Kiran blinked. Clarisse was just about to wrap things up and leave when they shook their head.

"Amazing...every word you just said is wrong."

"W-Wha-"

The summoner shushed her. "First of all, kindness never gets old, for kindness is a concept and has no perception of age. Therefore, I will treat you with as much kindness as I want, which is a lot. Second of all, you are not scum, you are Clarisse and that is great. True, you aren't Sigurd and I highly doubt you could be Bartre without a mustache," the sniper had to keep a smirk off her face even with all of her jumbled feelings, "but you are special in your own way and I love that."

 _Don't...get attached._

"And on your final point, that doesn't sound like anything new."

Seeing the unspoken question on Clarisse's face, Kiran took a breath and continued.

"Between fighting Embla and now the Nifl/Múspell war, I've always thought assassins would come for me someday. But they haven't, and that's awfully suspicious. I'm a tactician who can create more soldiers whenever I have a handful of resources, killing me would collapse this whole army. Sure, I have the ninjas to protect me, but they can't be around all the time, especially not with an entire castle to keep track of.

So I wonder to myself. Who's out there protecting me from all the scary monsters in the dark?"

Clarisse couldn't meet their gaze.

"Let me ask you this time. Why?"

 _Don't show them._

"I...that..."

"Clarisse." Kiran gave them a warm smile, and it made that crushing feeling in her chest grow. "It's okay to cry. I know what you've been through, and it's okay."

She sucked in a shaky breath, and Kiran gently shuffled over to her and put their hands on her shoulders.

They were warm, so warm.

"I...d-don't," _Stop it!_ "Mmmm..."

"Clarisse...why are you so nice to me?" Kiran whispered, bringing her head to their chest.

"I-I don't want you to die!" she sobbed, wrapping them in a crushing hug as if they would disappear if she let go. "I...I-I don't wa-wanna...lose this, Kiran...!"

The summoner wrapped one arm around her shoulder while the other went to her hair, gently stroking the knots and tangles out of it as if she were Alm all over again.

"Thank you, Clarisse. Thank you so much," they cooed, threading their hand through her hair as if she was normal.

 _Don't let go._

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry, kinda wrote this in a weird downer mood while also thinking to myself "gosh I sure love Clarisse". Been busy and the work never stops, haha. But I'm alive, juggling about three stories with this one included. Sorry for the wait!

Thanks to all of you who dropped by and said the story was cute, boy howdy do I love fluff and this suddenly turned out to not be it. Whoops. When you got villains in it, though, it's kind of inevitable...even though they're (mostly) precious too.


	4. Searing Steel

After the join Nifl/Askr campaign in the Múspell came to an end with Surtr's life, most Heroes were very eager to get some quality downtime. Whether it be sleeping all day, going back to more structured training regiments, or simply enjoying their time with family and friends, the Heroes bustled with a sense of relief. Even the Askr trio had decided to cool down for a bit, Anna declaring that they would monitor Embla before making any moves as their world's Veronica had seemingly gone silent for the time being.

Kiran, ever the busybody, checked Feh's morning mail, let out a scream loud enough to startle nearby Heroes into alert mode, and ran to get their orb supply. Six minutes later and thirty orbs down, the summoner emerged hand-in-hand with the Searing Steel, Laevatein.

After a little explaining and more than a few weapons being drawn, it was discovered that this Laevatein came from another world like many other Heroes, their own still struggling to become a queen worthy of her broken people. The one they summoned had just been defeated during the final siege upon Surtr's fortress, which raised some unfortunate questions on that future that nobody really wanted to think of.

"Are you alright, Laevatein? Seems the Training Tower wasn't kind to you at all with the map lineup..."

The princess shrugged, sheathing her blade. "If I am given orders to deploy, then I will."

"Still, for a native Múspellian those snowy maps must not have been very pleasant even with the heat of battle. Anyway, that didn't answer my question. Are you okay?"

Laevatein blinked. Her summoner was an odd person to be around, and an even odder one to watch. They didn't order her to do many strenuous things at once, they seemed to be on more than friendly terms with their other soldiers, and even came to a debriefing late as they were performing an odd drill by the name of "hide-and-go-seek". As described by Kiran, it was a tactical espionage simulation where a squad would fan out and search for a target.

Important to note that Kiran was only found after they scurried out from under Effie's shield, and only after a soldier by the name of Kana had burst into tears thinking that Kiran had 'tattle esponged' themselves out of existence. Kiran ended the simulation and held him close to their chest, assuring him that they would not disappear so easily with an emotion she could not understand.

"I am uninjured and ready for more combat...but I am a bit cold."

The summoner nodded. "That's good. Say, could you come here for a moment?"

Laevatein complied immediately, zipping over to their side as they slowly got out of their chair. Stretching, Kiran fluidly slipped off their large cloak, loosened the knot around their neck to adjust the hood and held it over to the princess, who decided to drink in their appearance before staring at the mantle.

What immediately struck her was their long, _absurdly puffy_ brown hair, which had fallen over their face the moment the hood came off to obscure their eyes. Strands stuck up and fluttered about in the gentle breeze, giving off a gentle feeling that Laevateinn felt herself relaxing at, strangely enough. The rest of them was unsurprisingly generic, subtle signs of basic training evident on their otherwise thin body.

"Surprised? I know I don't take off my cloak often, but..." Kiran chuckled, running a hand through their hair. "You told me before that while Nifl was cold, Askr was only a little chilly. It'll do you no good to stay cold after the work you've accomplished today, so put this on, rest and no complaining, alriiiiiiiiight?"

Laevatein blinked again, but took their cloak and slipped it on, keeping the hood down. It was a bit big, and the sleeves went past her hands a little, but it smelled like paper and a sweet smell she didn't know existed. Hooking the buttons on the inside to keep it closed, the lining insulated her from the cold and felt like the blankets her sister would wrap her in.

It felt...good. That's all she could find it. There were probably more emotions, more that could fit whatever this is, but they were vast and unknown. She wished Laegjarn was around to explain it all.

"Al...riiiiiiiiight."

Kiran snorted, slowly raising a hand and placing it on her head. When she didn't pull away, staring at their hand as if it were a being from another dimension (go figure), they slowly ran it through her hair. Giving her a smile, Kiran spoke.

"You're a good girl, Laevatein. You were Laegjarn's pride and joy, and now I see just what exactly she meant."

It wasn't cold. With their coat on, it wasn't.

So why was she trembling?

"I...my sister said she wants me to live. So I will. I will live, I will find out what these feelings are, by your side. Is...is that alright?"

Kiran stared at her for a moment, then pulled her into an embrace. Their hand moved to the back of her head and stroked it gently, and for a moment Laevatein swore that it was her sister standing before her.

"Of course it is..."

She returned their embrace.

* * *

Alfonse took a careful sip of his tea, glancing at Kiran with a curious glint in his eye. While he was content to keep their nighttime reading sessions quiet and relaxed, the day's questions were still itching the back of his mind.

"Kiran..." He began. "Is there any reason as to why every Hero was talking about your hair today? It doesn't look like you've done anything...special with it."

The tactician shrugged. "Because I didn't."

"Then why was your hair such a conversation starter?"

"Because no one asked to see it. While we're at it, though...did you see how cute Laevatein was picking at her sleeves when Lissa talked to her? And her little smiles, _Naga above-_ "

Alfonse coughed, looking away. "It does the heart good, I'll admit."

"Admit it, Alfonse. You dropped those cookies off just to see it again."

"Kiran, this conversation is over."

"I saw you watching from behind the pillar."

"Leave."

* * *

 **A/N:** True story, summoned a Laevatein at 5:15 in the morning, second red on my first pull, due to my body hating sleep. Granted, she's -spd +res, but when you have a bladeblade and my team setup lets you get +19 attack on wave turns, suddenly those special procs are looking extra scary. She hit a Fae with a _103 damage_ Glimmer, that has to be illegal somewhere.

Also, yeah I burned through 33 orbs in under 10 minutes, _**god I wish this banner came with a paralogue or something**_

Short one this time around because I did and still do have work to get through, remember to leave a review with anything you'd like to share! Also, sorry Brian303, hopefully you find other FE stories that are more to your enjoyment!


	5. Harvest Scramble I

Reinhardt could not help but ponder over what kind of person Kiran was.

To say that the summoner was an interesting person was putting it very lightly. They were a contradictory existence: childish but mature, whimsical yet insightful...trying to unravel them was a noble undertaking, even if it was not exactly necessary. At their core, Kiran was a kindhearted soul who treated each and every Hero as if they were a treasure, mindful of their faults yet loving nonetheless. It was almost a motherly sort of love, although the idea of the tactician being his mother was a bit odd. It certainly hadn't stopped some other Heroes, however.

The summoner was not a perfect being, their mistakes fatal more than once, but a man who looked at their heart and scoffed was not the man Reinhardt wished to be.

So when saw Kiran walking down the hall with a large bowl of treats, he could only follow them, his curiosity once again peaked.

* * *

 _What kind of harvest festival didn't have giant candy bowls?_

That was the question Kiran had woken up to, alongside a lump named Tiki who had made herself comfortable on their chest sometime during the night. They couldn't be blamed for staying in for a few more hours before decoration, letting the cool autumn breeze roll over them as they gently run their hand through the slumbering dragon's long hair.

Essentially, they were being fancily lazy.

"Coming through, coming through!" Kiran exclaimed, huffing and puffing as they stumbled their way to the main hall. They felt bad that they couldn't wave back to some of the friendlier Heroes, but they had to quicken their pace.

It had caught the scent of sugar in a concentrated area and was on the hunt. It was never a matter of _'if'_ , only _'when'_.

But they were ready

"Wha- Kiran? Where are you going with all those...?"

Snapping their gaze up, they met Hector's bewildered expression, Lyn's curious gaze into the bowl and Eliwood's light smile.

"We're getting ready to celebrate the harvest festival, so I made sure to get a," they wheezed, adjusting their arms to better hold the large bowl. "A really big bowl of candy. So every Hero can get one."

"You look as if you're about to collapse, is that a bit too heavy?" Lyn replied, glancing down at their bent knees. Upon seeing their defiant pout, Eliwood pat them on the shoulder.

"Do you need any help, friend? Hector can lift a cow, you know."

"Eli, it happened _one time_ and you never let me live it down since," Hector grumbled, shaking his head. "In any case, leave it to big ol' Hector!"

Grabbing the bowl out of Kiran's arms, Hector made a show of heaving it up to his chest with herculean effort, drawing a wheezing laugh from Eliwood and a theatrical sigh from Lyn. Kiran couldn't help but giggle themselves, waving their now relieved arms.

"Thanks be upon you, Lord Hector. Who knows what I would...have..." Kiran stared a dark part of the room, face paling.

"...Kiran?"

"Run," was the only word the summoner could get out before a shadow leaped out at the group, glowing red eyes accompanied by a shock of orange hair. The creature carried with it the fury of a connoisseur scorned, the strength of one hundred thieves, and Kiran had to think fast just to deflect his wild charge.

It was the Dread Beast of Hallow's Eve, He Who Devours All, **Gaius**.

...

If anyone asked, Hector tucked his friends under his arm for a _tactical retreat_ , and no he most definitely did _not_ scream like Lilina at the way Gaius snarled at him.

* * *

Reinhardt slowly blinked, watching the heavily armored lord book it with speed rivaling his horse to escape a crazed Gaius. Balancing the bowl on top of his head with inhuman skill, Hector didn't so much as run as he did flail his way to the main hall, dragging a screaming Eliwood, a screaming Lyn, and a fairly normal Kiran along with him.

The mage knight couldn't help but follow them, passing by groups of stunned Heroes (including a trampled Valter) and the occasional broken wall. Whether it was by Gaius or the desperate Hector he'd never know.

But Reinhardt couldn't help but admit that he wanted to see where this goes.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for a short one this time around, but the catch is that this one is broken into two parts! I've been busy with work, and in-between that work I've been grabbing as many orbs as I can to summon for the Halloween banner. Currently, I got an Eldigan (my third...), Katarina (my first!), and two H!Myrrhs to my name.

One was +hp -atk and the other was +atk -spd. You can guess which one was the Myrrhge. Overall, great luck!

No idea when the next part comes out, since the next coming weeks will be very, _very_ busy. Before Halloween, definitely. Probably. Ugh.


	6. Harvest Scramble Interlude

_A man likes a woman who is confident, takes initiative, and never backs down._

Lilina repeated these words to herself as she strode out of the library, nodding a curt goodbye to her reading partner Julia as she mulled over her findings. For a week, she had been gathering advice from all sorts of fonts, whether they be manuals on the basics of flirting and dating, counsel from some true romantics such as Virion and Oliver(?), and even Maribelle's classes on 'commoner slang' and 'touching with power'.

She was going to ask Roy to join her for the harvest festival. Feelings would blossom, he would grab her hands tenderly and they would slowly lean in to...

Lilina desperately slapped the red out of her cheeks. Thinking ahead was nice, and she indulged her fantasies more than a couple of times, but she had to get through asking him out first. Taking a sharp right, she pushed open the large double-doors leading to the training field.

A wide open plain with sparse greenery, Askr had mostly done away with training dummies in favor of live sparring, and throughout the day one could hear the sounds of intense battle between spirited warriors. Interestingly, Kiran was not here to watch and provide refreshments, but Lilina mentally shrugged. Perhaps they were off dealing with whatever was causing that worrying property damage. As her eyes scanned the spars, they finally settled on her target, a shock of red hair held back by a blue bandanna.

Roy was leaning against a tree, having just finished a battle if the sweat and bruises were any indication. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he was making light conversation with his partner Alfonse, the two occasionally laughing after a couple of responses.

It was now or nothing. All her training had led to this one moment. She was a strategist, one taught by none other than the Mage General of Etruria.

And he'd never see her coming.

Roy let out a deep sigh, resting his head against the cool bark and closing his eyes. Another day, another spar, this time with the Askrian prince. While he was no slouch in swordplay, it was truly an honor to lock swords with someone as unique as Alfonse. He fought defensively, waiting for Roy to attack before blocking and returning with twice the force. After landing in a couple of blows, Alfonse seemed to get even stronger, the winning blow being a slash across the torso that burned like fire.

Of course, Roy wasn't actually in too much pain once he rested, and Alfonse was more than eager to end it and tend to the angry bruise. It seemed like the road ahead was as long as ever.

 _SLAP!_

Roy jolted as the harsh sound of a bare hand slapping against wood knocked him out of his thoughts.

It was...Lilina? Who had boxed him in to his place on the tree with one arm. He was about to ask if she was alright, what she was doing here, before she spoke first.

"Oh _gods_ , what do we have here," Lilina grit out with a smile, ignoring the stinging pain in her hand. "A beautiful gem like you shouldn't be out without an arm to hang off of. If you were a drink of water, then I would be quite the thirsty woman."

Whatever he was about to say died a horrible, ugly death.

Lilina mentally cheered, taking his silence as having swept him off his feet. Virion's advice helpfully flitted back into her mind: push the advantage, as no answer doesn't mean 'no'.

"The bards sing of fetching lads from dusk to dawn, but there has been no beauty quite as radiant as yours. Oh, how I long to have you in my arms and protect you from this world's innumerable evils, my precious Roy," she took his hand and turned it over, gently kissing his knuckle. Roy's mental processing had entirely shut down at this point. "I wish only to get lost in a pair of eyes as beautiful as yours, and is that not the base wish of us all?"

Behind her, Alfonse held a neutral reaction. Not neutral as in 'I don't care', but more like a thousand-yard stare, as if the entire world had been proven to crooked and he never knew.

"I- buh? You...I...buhwha?"

 _Now that he's reeling, I need to switch gears,_ Lilina decided. _Maribelle, thank you for your tutelage! Watch over me, teacher!_

She shushed him, placing her soft finger on his lips before trailing down to his behind and squeezing it eliciting an impressive squeal from the boy. The Heroes in the yard, having long since stopped their battles to watch, openly gaped at the sudden change in mood.

"Taut like a bowstring and sculpted like marble, just the way I like 'em," Lilina purred, trying to fight the all-consuming embarrassment that came with grabbing your crush's butt. "Enough 'a the foreplay, though, why don't we go someplace tonight? You and me, baby, I'll treat you better than I treat my tomes."

Roy babbled, at this point far too embarrassed and confused to form actual words. In the background, Mae gave a sharp wolf whistle while her partner, Boey, slapped her upside the head.

Realizing that she couldn't keep flirting to the background of the two wrestling and cursing, Lilina winked and pushed off the tree and left Roy to slump down, staring at her retreating form.

Alfonse awkwardly coughed, but placed an arm on Roy's shoulder as he dropped down next to him.

"Roy...I know you are a grown man but...if you notice her dropping a certain something into your drink, please run to Kiran and I. I assure you we will do our utmost best to-"

" _Alfonse!_ " Roy practically screeched, face an inhuman shade of red. In about ten minutes, he had gone from tired yet content to confused, flustered and uncomfortable and he didn't quite know what to do right now.

Mae and Boey rolled past the two, biting and screaming as they fought for dominance. Reinhardt, who had taken a detour to avoid a sugar-obsessed thief barreling into him, merely chalked it up as their own brand of courting.

* * *

Hector took a couple of deep breaths, looking over his shoulder to make sure that beast of a man hadn't followed them. While they couldn't exactly make it to the main hall as quickly as they had hoped, the twisting corridors had done well to shake off their pursuer, if only temporarily. This was a moment to rest, to recover, for the final battle.

"I-Is nobody else going to bring up the fact that we could have just _given him a piece of candy_ and had him leave?" Lyn asked, fixing her friends a stern look.

Kiran shook their head. "Once the Dread Beast catches scent of sugar, it won't be content with just one. No, Lyn, it's animalistic desires drive it to devour all candy in a lust to satisfy-"

"Gaius. His name is Gaius and he is just a quirky Matthew with a different colored pelt."

"Yes, the Dread Beast of the Hallowed Evening. What about it?"

Lyn threw her arms up. Kiran pat her on the head before she angrily shook them off.

"Hector, are you quite alright?" Eliwood asked quietly, concern etched onto his face. "You're making quite the hardened expression. Was it about the cow incident I referenced earlier?"

"No, it's fine. As it stands, I'm fairly proud about that one," he laughed briefly, but the frown returned. Putting a hand under his chin, Hector squinted as he pored over his feelings. "I just felt a horrible chill go up my spine, as if something terrible just happened. Worse than when that spawn of the Fire Dragon was chasing us. I wonder what it could mean..."

With no answers, Eliwood shrugged. Both men didn't notice a certain costumed manakete until too late, and the crinkling of a wrapper being opened heralded It's arrival.

 **A/N:** I could not resist. I was lying in bed, thought 'man, wouldn't it be kind of funny if Lilina took the lead in asking Roy out on a date' and then it morphed into this monstrosity that I wrote early in the morning so it wouldn't interfere with my work. There's going to be an end, namely because I've created a legendary raid boss in Gaius and I can't just drop it this far in, so just treat this chapter as an interlude.

Also, this chapter is the reason the story got bumped up to T-rating. At least that widens my umbrella of topics when we get back to regularly(?) scheduled programming. Leave a review if you want, like or dislike, you guys know what's up. Thanks for tuning in to this stupid holiday special, and I'll get that ending out as soon as possible.

 **EDIT AFTER LIKE A MINUTE:** fixed some typos. VVGO.  
 **EDIT 2:** i saw a sentence i failed to finish. what. how. it's finished now though, thank god.


	7. A Spooky Finale

Clarisse wouldn't call herself an exceptionally needy person.

She wasn't dependent on anyone (no, going to Kiran when she had a nightmare doesn't count because a lot of Heroes do that), she didn't need to surround herself with friends to feel some sad sense of importance (though Kiran, Reese and even Legion were alright if she _had_ to admit it), and she certainly didn't crave affection from the few close to her.

She didn't! So what if they kept talking about a future with her? So what if Legion gave her some dumb necklace made from some rope and shells on the beach and it just _ended up_ on her bookshelf? So _what_ if Kiran would hold her in their arms whenever she asked, and talked about boring sappy stuff that they made sound good?

When she saw Kiran, that wimpy redhead lord and his buddies being chased by that ginger thief who moved more like a starving mutt than any semblance of a person, she just did her duty as a Hero would to her Summoner.

She slapped an apple onto the end of an arrow, nocked it, adjusted her aim after some quick calculations and fired. The weighted arrow soared in an arc, whizzing through the air and hitting Gaius square in the cheek during a leap. He fell flat on his face, skidding a couple of centimeters before coming to a painful, pitiful end. Letting a wicked sneer grace her features at the thief's fallen form, she eyed the retreating form of Hector, carrying a pile of people on one shoulder while hefting a bowl of candy in the other.

Kiran waved at her and mouthed 'I love you'.

If anyone saw her goofy smile, she'd have to kill them. Kiran would forgive her.

* * *

"I swear, you have that girl wrapped around your finger," Hector panted, slowing down to a brisk walk as he noticed his opponent down. With Lyn hanging onto his shoulder, Eliwood under his arm, Kiran riding piggyback and Myrrh on _their_ back, even a man as mighty as Hector was starting to feel the burn.

"It's mutual. She's precious."

Hector rolled his eyes as his passengers slowly climbed off and dusted themselves off, although Myrrh decided to stay on the summoner's back. "You say that about everyone, Kiran."

"Well that's because Kiran sees the best in everyone," Myrrh replied succinctly, delighting in the headpat they gave her. Hector rolled his eyes, but chose not to try and refute that statement. Kiran was a big softie, but even the most heinous 'Heroes' knew better than to mess with them too much.

They had far too large a support base to get away with it and live.

"Hate to interrupt the conversation, but it seems we've made it," Lyn chirped, gesturing to the grand hall. Heroes of all shapes and sizes flitted about, some deciding to sit down with family and friends for a meal while others took advantage of the hall's connections to quickly move about the castle.

The finest hub for a bowl of candy. Pass by, grab a piece, leave.

Grabbing the bowl out of Hector's arm with a wheeze, Kiran stumbled over to Feh's perch. The owl was sleeping as usual, but quietly cooed and cracked open an eye when it heard the telltale pattering of Kiran's boots.

"Hey Feh," Kiran whispered, lifting up the bowl so she could peer inside before setting it in front of the perch. Perking up, Feh's eyes sparkled as she took in all the different types of candy before her.

Running their hand down her back, Kiran smiled. "Just for the cake incident, you can take five pieces. Make sure to pace yourself, alright?"

Feh nodded and nuzzled into the summoner's hand. Behind them, the rest of the party finally began to relax, while Myrrh had scurried off to play with Fae and Tiki after muttering goodbyes.

"This has been quite the adventure, hasn't it?" Eliwood chuckled, sitting down on the tile floor with his friends.

"I'll say, I don't think I can ever look at that thief the same way ever again."

"Hector."

"No, Lyn, you didn't see what I did in those cold, dead eyes. You didn't see the sugarlust gnawing away at his soul, his _humanity_. May whatever gods salvage what's left of the pitiful wretch," Hector prayed, earning a sympathetic pat on the shoulder from Eliwood, who was torn between genuine concern and raucous laughter.

"I do not... I'm- you know what, fine," she snarled. "It is an utter shame that Gaius had lost himself to a holiday and became a raving beast craving candy. Seriously, does _no one_ understand how insane this sounds?"

"Geez, Breezy, you sound like someone got your nonexistent panties in a bunch."

Lyn whipped around to find a completely normal Gaius, save for a nasty bruise on one cheek.

"What."

Gaius snorted, rubbing the bruise. "You really thought I turned into a sugar demon on Halloween? That is literally impossible even for me, y'know."

He shrugged. "Spread a couple of rumors, pay a couple of sticklers off, indulge in a lil' improv acting and boom, you got yourself a prank to top all pranks."

Lyn slowly blinked, staring at the thief with an unreadable expression. Gaius stared back before deciding that everything was fine.

"Hell, I'm pretty sure the only person who believed it at all was Kiran, and that's only because they're as gullible as a kid with his first jawbreaker. I feel more sorry for the suckers who knew what I was doing and _didn't_ tell the others."

Lyn slowly turned to Hector and Eliwood. Only Hector was looking around for escape routes, while Eliwood stared at the larger man with a stern pout.

"Uh...trick or treat, Lyn! For being such a good sport, I'll let you have my piece-"

Sol Katti sang as it exited it's sheath, and for the second time in the day Hector broke his personal speed record.

* * *

Reinhardt took a sip of his tea and flipped another page in a small thriller he had found. After watching Gaius get up, dust himself off and casually walk to the grand hall, he had found out that it was all an elaborate prank to fool all of Askr.

What a letdown. At least he had finally caught Kiran, however, and the two were able to discuss all kinds of topics in the sanctity of the garden.

"So it was all a prank, huh?" Kiran shook their head. "I thought so, but his acting was so real...anyway, did you hear that Lilina and Roy are going on a date sometime later?"

Reinhardt smirked at the thought of two adults gossiping, but indulged regardless. "I'd have thought those two would go once the real festival begins?"

"They would have, but Hector came out of nowhere screaming and running and clotheslined Roy. I don't know what happened next, but apparently Lyn had been hot on his trail."

He raised an eyebrow as Kiran shrugged. Before the two could move onto the next topic, a bush nearby rustled.

"K-Kiran?"

"Al...fonse?" Kiran turned around to see the Askrian prince kneeling in the bush, desperately covering his body with his cape. His face was a shade of red that human diction couldn't properly define.

"Commander Anna told me to put a costume on and advertise the harvest festival but...t-this is far too much! I can't be seen like this, I won't be seen like this!"

Moving his cape a smidge so Kiran could peek, they found he wasn't wear much at all, shorts covering his most sensitive area while he was completely topless. Kiran could swear a demon tail was poking out from behind, but for the sake of his dignity they chose not to comment.

Reinhardt shot a look at his summoner, they glanced back, and Reinhardt began to unclasp his capelet while Kiran took off their coat without a word to give to their ailing comrade.

This would remain a secret among men...and Kiran.


	8. A Smattering of Heroes

**I. Enmity**

As it turns out, Kiran almost becomes a different person entirely in front of the people they hate.

Kiran does not hate many people.

" _You_ ," they hissed, causing their shopping partner Alfonse to nearly drop the basket at the sheer _vitriol_ laced within the simple acknowledgement.

The fat man in question looked at the hooded summoner and stiffened in fear. Real, visceral _fear_ at Askr's beloved Summoner.

"Kiran, what-"

"Not. Now."

Dressed in a luxurious black suit that almost managed to hide his regal belly and greasy black hair, the Askrian emblem was plastered on the back and encrusted in jewels, denoting his wealth and status in a fairly obnoxious manner. If it weren't for the guard next to him (who, for reasons the Askrian prince would not understand, also began to sweat), the man would have likely been assaulted by brigands the next continent over.

"G-Good heavens! I-I well- er, um, g-good day to you, Summoner, Prince Alfonse! My, isn't the...erm...weather-"

"Save the pleasantries, Duke Fedorr. I know you. I know everything _about_ you. I know that your home is filled with the laughter of your lovely wife and two daughters. And I know that your maid, Kyla, has extensively 'serviced' you during your stay at the castle for three days in a row while you write letters back home to Saltport, whining about how obnoxious Alfonse is and how a man of your...caliber...is wasted here."

Every statement, every accusation was made with an aggressive step in Fedorr's personal space, the duke himself being scared stiff at how the normally-placid Kiran had aired his dirty laundry with little to no provocation. Alfonse turned to the guard and found him having taken a step back with his hands up, likely frightened at the aspect of harming someone who can summon legendary heroes across space and time to rearrange him on an atomic level.

And that someone was fucking _pissed_.

"And I know," they whispered, tasting his fear and savoring it for a moment before continuing. "That you have eyes on one of my Heroes. That you wish to _**ravish**_ one of my Heroes until she, what was it again, 'begs for your taste'?"

Fedorr stammered, and he did not know why. Here was this reedy twig in his face, their guard the pretty-faced prince piggybacking off his father's success. He, in comparison, had a proud soldier of Askr, skilled in both lance and sword. He had the money, the clout, and the family tree in Askr to get pretty much anything and everything he wanted in a land of abundant prosperity.

"N-Now see here, I-"

"I have stared the Hellfire Tyrant in the face and felt _nothing_ as he choked to death. I have glimpsed upon Death in all her finery, and her threats merely bolster my resolve. The Heroes under my command are strong, infinitely more so than I. But if I catch you near Tailtiu, and by the Light I will catch you, I will not kill you," they shook their head. "No, I will systematically **tear you apart.** Every jiggling piece of you will know never-ending, all-devouring screaming. I will torture you for so many suns and so many moons that Embla will beg me to stop as a humanitarian action. I will not eat, I will not sleep, and I will not relent until I **have my justice, do you understand me?** "

Kiran at this point had the duke's collar firmly in their grasp, and the fat man could only furiously nod his head under the intense chill of their cold, dead stare. After a minute, they let go and slowly stepped back.

"I'm glad we understand each other's boundaries. Come on, Alfonse, the ice cream will melt under the sun."

Snapping out of his daze, Alfonse nodded and walked to Kiran's side. As they were walking away, however, he swore Kiran's face twisted into Clarisse's nasty smirk for a second.

"When you get home, my duke, you have a lot of explaining to do to the missus. I hear she's _quite_ upset."

* * *

 **II.** **Pats**

"Good work today, Idunn!"

Kiran beamed up at the Dark Priestess as she stepped out of the portal to the arena, Sharena already fussing over the rest of the team. She was drafted to soak up hits for the 'bonus unit', a bow-wielding Alm, and was able to do so spectacularly with no losses through a seven-win streak. Unlike servitude under King Zephiel, however, these victories left Idunn with a warm sense of...accomplishment.

She had the power to protect not only the smiles of the children, but the smiles of those closest to her. To preserve, not destroy.

Perhaps this purpose was one worth fighting for.

Idunn pulled herself from her thoughts and nodded, watching Sharena slide up to Kiran with a grin as the rest of her team filtered out of the room after some light goodbyes.

"We really couldn't do it without you, Idunn! Say, Kiran, don't you have something to give to our MVP?"

Brightening, Kiran nodded and stepped up to the priestess, who could only tilt her head in slight confusion. Allowing them to gently pull her hood back, they reached up and behind her ears to slowly massage her scalp.

Idunn stared, expressionless as she allowed them to pet her. Kiran's smile slowly faded, their hands slowing in sync as they stared into her mismatched eyes. Was she unamused? Was she uncomfortable?

Did she even know what they were doing?

They began to slowly take their hands off her head, content to pretend that never happened, before Idunn's came up and pressed them back into position.

"..."

"..."

As if disbelieving, Kiran began to take their hands off once again before the Dark Priestess brought her hands up to press them back into her ivory hair, slightly quicker than last time. Still staring directly at Kiran, she then did something so extraordinary that Sharena and the Summoner would not stop talking about it for a solid week.

Idunn _pouted._

"Stay...continue doing that. Your hands are warm and I...like it."

 _I'm going to die here,_ Kiran thought with absolute sincerity.

* * *

 **III.** **Fir of The Elements**

"The rain is coming down fierce, isn't it..."

Bartre frowned as he watched the rain fall down in sheets, the sky dark and gloomy. Due to the downright crippling weather, Kiran had decided to cancel missions for the day and let the Heroes do whatever they could indoors, which meant that the Training Tower was full up to the brim with bored, armed maniacs plowing through simulations of their enemies.

Standard fare, really.

"I find that the rain is rather calming. Helps sharpen the mind and clear the senses."

Bartre hummed, mesmerized by the pattern as old memories flitted through his mind. "Yeah, I remember. You told me long ago, the weather is even kind of familiar..."

The woman that sat near him was not his Karla. When he had shown her Fir, father and daughter so excited they fumbled over their words, she had hesitantly stated that she had no daughter, and her search for her brother was her only drive. When Karla had seen her daughter's swordplay, she was even briefly fooled into thinking a family member had slipped away from Karel's wrath.

They didn't hold it against her, Kiran had kindly warned them that Breidablik was always fickle like that, but Bartre would never tell her of how he and Fir slipped away soon after their reunion, tearing up in each other's arms. His wife, Fir's mother, was seemingly gone forever.

But that didn't mean they could make new memories, right? He could never fall in love again, but Karla was family now and forever.

A harsh crack of thunder snapped him out of his thoughts, having missed the flash of lightning.

 _"Wait...thunder?"_

Bartre's eyes snapped to Karla, who sat ramrod still and stared emptily ahead. Her posture didn't last for long, however, as she jolted due to a closer bolt slamming into the earth with a loud fizzle. Noticing his stare, the Sword Vassal narrowed her eyes as her cheeks turned a light pink.

"That was nothing."

"Karla, hon, we were married once. You don't need to lie to me," Bartre's smirk softened. "I didn't judge you before, and I won't now."

Karla fidgeted, eyes darting around before she finally relented with a sigh. "It is...silly. Thunder and lightning should not scare me after the trials I have faced, but I cannot deny its fury. It is as if Father Sky knows of my family's sins and seeks revenge..."

Nodding, the old warrior hobbled over to the other side of his bed and sat down, staring out the window with her.

"Y'know, you did eventually get over it."

"...Hm."

Bartre put his hands up. "I ain't lying. Every time there'd be a wicked storm, Fir would always run to you with a blanket and shout about how she'd protect you," he chuckled. "You told her that she was your inspiration to get stronger, and lo and behold, next storm you were a-ok. She was over the moon, our little Fir..."

Despite herself, Karla felt a ghost of a smile on her face. "That sounds...nice," she muttered. "Perhaps I should speak at length with that-" _KRRRRROOM..._ "T-That...hmm..."

Eyebrows furrowing in concern, Bartre was about to speak before he heard a quiet set of knocks on the door frame. Getting up and moving quickly towards the door, he was pleasantly surprised to come face-to-face with his beloved daughter.

"Oh, um, hi Father! I was just wondering if you saw Mother or not since...well..."

He chuckled at Fir's nervousness. "You're in luck, darling Fir! Karla, I hope you don't mind a guest!"

Opening the door to let her in, Fir's eyes widened for a bit before she noticed how tightly Karla was gripping the sheets.

"Greetings, Fir. Is your training going well?"

Hurrying over to take a seat in-between her parents, the Sword Student nodded. This Karla may not have been her real mother, but just hearing her voice again made her happier beyond words.

"I was able to spar with the legendary hero of Tellius today, moth- er, Karla! While his form is a bit more primal than my own, I cannot deny the power in every strike, nor can-"

 _SZZT - KOOOOM!_

This time, all three inhabitants of Bartre's room jumped at the particularly loud bolt, although Bartre and Fir quickly rounded onto Karla soon after.

Taking in deep breaths, Karla had closed her eyes. To the untrained eye, she would have appeared absolutely fine, but the two noticed her minute shaking with a focus only her closest could attest to having.

Her eyes blinked open in surprise when she felt a light coat being draped over her shoulders, which were then gently held by heavy hands.

"Karla...no, Mother...don't worry about the thunder and lightning." Fir pumped her arms, a determined glint entering her eyes. "We're here to support you no matter what!"

"Wahaha! Couldn't have said it better myself, dear daughter!" Bartre began rubbing small circles into Karla's shoulders, an act that did actually calm her down a bit. "You're strong, Karla, one of the strongest, but having one weakness doesn't make you "weak", right? That's where we come in! So don't you worry about a thing, alright?!"

Slowly sweeping her gaze to the two of them, Karla felt her face heat up a bit as she nodded. "...Thank you."

"Don't mention it! Now then...grrrrr...rrrrRRRAAAGH! NOW MY BLOOD'S BOILIN'! NEXT TIME, I'LL SHOW THAT THUNDER WHO'S BOSS AROUND HERE!"

"F-Father, don't try to punch the lightning again..."

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow it really has been a while, hasn't it?

I'm real sorry about the delay, college is kicking my ass right now. When I do have free time, I'm so brain-dead tired I'm either going to sleep thinking about how much work I have the next day or zoning out with a video game in hand. As you could tell, however, I have been keeping up-to-date on FE:H, got my first Karla so that explains why the last section is super long because other than Sigurd/Deirdre they are **best family don't at me (but also do at me)**. Also, Idunn deserves love and attention and I'm so glad I managed to merge her once to get rid of an awful -Atk bane. +Res makes her a terrifying tank, only time she's died was due to an arena L!Alm.

Anyway, new format! I don't know if I'll necessarily stick to it, if I feel an arc is coming I'll write in standard form. It is really fun to write in, but I'd like some feedback if you guys wouldn't mind. I have also not forgotten Alfonse's role, it's just that ideas flicker through my head too quickly to cobble together something cohesive at the moment. He's a badass, that man, I love how IS made him dunk all over Hel with Phoenix Wright-level mental strats.

You know the drill, leave a review if you liked/didn't like it, tell me what you'd like, and I'll see you guys next time (hopefully soon? _?_?)

 **Also Picnic Genny aaaAAAA**


	9. High Culture with a Bit of Chaos

As the course of the war grew longer, Kiran had found it imperative that the Heroes found ways to entertain themselves in healthy ways that didn't involve wanton murder. While they had put in a massive amount of effort to make the Aether Resort a fantastic getaway, it was stressed that there were plenty of options to sink one's teeth into.

For Yune, goddess of chaos, transformation and most definitely not darkness, it was painting. And if she had to say, she was very darn good at it.

"Well Micaiah, how about this? It really does capture your essence, I'd imagine," the diminutive goddess preened, turning the easel around to show her waiting audience. "I studied the techniques you little transients managed to craft with metoculous detail in order to recreate our bond perfectly."

Suffice to say, it was most definitely not the painting that would kickstart Askr's Renaissance.

What laid before the queen of Daien was a crayon drawing of herself holding hands with Yune. It honestly felt like this was a tribute she had gotten from a child in an offshoot village. The sun had a smiling face, for Ashunera's sake.

Would it be blasphemy if she laughed? Probably, right? After much deliberation and a reaffirming of her morals, Micaiah chose to be polite and smiled, pressing the drawing to her heart.

"You transferred your feelings onto paper beautifully, Yune. Thank you."

"Hm. You meatbags are so insistent on pressing your visages onto canvas. It's a bit silly, but...I suppose I'm glad you enjoyed it," Yune murmured, her flowing ginger hair curling inwards to slightly cover her face. Micaiah was just about to thank her again when heavy footfalls and the clanking of armor drew near.

"If I am not mistaken...good day, General Ike."

"I'd rather just be Ike, Queen Micaiah."

"Then I too shall be just Micaiah."

The two chuckled before Ike bowed his head at Yune. Returning the gesture, Yune quickly snagged her drawing out of Micaiah's hand and flipped it towards him.

"What do you think of this, Radiant Hero?"

A cold shiver ran down the queen of Daien's back as he studied the drawing. This was a primal fear, one of the strongest that all humans are born with as part of the nebulous concept of self-preservation.

Curse her. She had grown soft here, forgetting that danger was always a hair's length away.

Ike's snort sealed her fear in a cold tomb. "I didn't realize you were this popular with the children of Askr. Perhaps I should call Oliver in and see if we could fund this budding savant," he chuckled, completely missing Micaiah's frantic waving. "The smiling sun is a rather cute touch, though, lends a very innocent look...to..." he trailed off as he looked back at the wicked pout that had settled on Yune's reddened face.

Glancing back at Micaiah's horror and then to Yune, Ike decided to try and put two and two together.

"...Ah. Huh."

* * *

"Thus, we should make it so that the council has to mine the orbs by hand."

Alfonse let out a long-suffering sigh as they passed into the garden. "Kiran, I know you worry and it is understandable, but Feh is a professional scout and has been extensively trained since birth. She will be fine."

"Alfonse, no owl I know eats cake and talks by telepathy like Gunnthra can. Plus, the councilmen could use the exercise."

Alfonsr glanced around quickly before muttering, "Senator Delundo must be helped out of bed by no less than three servants every morning, tell not a soul."

Kiran snorted, covering their mouth. "Alfonse?!"

The prince couldn't help but crack a small grin. "Tell nobody."

Kiran was just about to reply before a ball of pure entropic energy smashed into Alfonse's chest, sending him instantly to the ground.

"O-oh my God, are you-?!"

A stone-faced Ike barrelled into their view, jumping over Alfonse's writhing body and tucking into a combat roll to dodge another ball, one of which had hit a flower patch and caused it to start fizzling out of existence. Kiran was about to give chase before they looked to the side.

Idunn, who was tending to that specific patch, gently put down her elephant watering pail and trowel to turn glowing eyes upwards towards an orange-and-green bullet shooting towards Ike's retreating form. Wordlessly, she looked towards the flowers and then back at the two before slowly beginning to follow, a warning growl rumbling lowly in her throat being the only sign of her anger.

"H-Hey! Make sure not to hurt each other, okay?!"

"Kiran..." Alfonse wheezed, clutching his chest in utter agony. "I can feel my ribs being rearranged and remade...! Sweet merciful lord, **help me!** "

"O-Okay, got it! Glass of...water?"

"Healer!" he shouted, causing Kiran to jolt and start running away to find one. All alone, Alfonse let out a sigh and tried to ignore the alternating feeling of bitter chill and searing flame wracking his body before he saw Kiran's head pop back into view.

"Sorry, I just, uh- I forgot to- Do you have any preferences on who exactly I-"

"Kiran, are you _serious?!_ "

* * *

 **A** **/N:** In unrelated news, you fellas see the new app update? Yay, line seperator support! Saves a bit weird (put line in, write and then save, it won't stick if you only put in a line), but it still came home, so I can publish in my style on the go, like on campus! This will probably help my schedule. Maybe.

In other news, this chapter was meant to be part of another FEH short collection like the first, but I liked it so much it became a full-fledged chapter. I wonder what everyone else's hobbies are...

You know the drill. Comment, speculate, criticize, all welcome here. I got lunch to get and classes to get to. See you guys soon.


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